Cover Image: Malice

Malice

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Member Reviews

The way that I feel like such an idiot for putting off this book for as long as I have. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself for this.

From the first page I was pulled into the story, into the world and the magic. Alyce was the kind of main character that I love to read about. While I know that this was a reimagining of Sleepy Beauty, I thought that having a Cinderella-esque quality to Alyce that I hadn’t expected and yet was really intrigued by. I thought that the magic of the Graces was also something interesting, especially when I’ve read so many books that deal with using blood to do magic I thought that this still made it feel unique but uncomplicated. Though watching Alce test the bounds of her own abilities and seeing that grow and change was probably the part that I enjoyed the most.

The last third of the book was almost impossible for me to put down. I needed to see how this was going to end, just how tragic the story between Alyce and Aurora was going to be. For the most part the third act was a lot more solid than I expected. I definitely thought that some of the earlier threads were going to be what was going to propel the action in the second book in the duology and after that ending I have far more questions for how things are going to play out. I’m also just very happy with how Walter was able to maneuver all the pieces into place for that ending to not just feel earned. Seeing Alyce really embrace all the aspects of herself that she’d been trying to rationalize away was cathartic in a way.

I don’t know what’s in store for the sequel, but I’m definitely looking forward to it and I’ll be processing the events of this book for a while to come.

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Fairytale retellings are my jam and I have always been intrigued by the alluring, dark, albeit misunderstood Maleficent. These are the reasons I was initially drawn to Malice, since Alyce is author Heather Walter’s version of one of my favorite villainesses.

Briar is a complex kingdom, like most places, and it comes with its own hierarchies and prejudices. This was a brilliant taste into the world and I cannot wait to read the next installment. There’s so much left to be explored, especially with that ending.

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<i> I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>

This was so great. It had a mixture of epic feelings and fairy tale vibes. I was fancasting after only a couple chapters--I would love to see this made into a movie. The character arcs were all well-done and the plot left me with my jaw literally dropping at times.

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I enjoyed this book, and it was not what I expected. When I started it, I didn't think I was going to finish it. I expected basically the same fairy tale story, and I just wasn't in the mood for the same story. I was wanting to read a book that felt new a different, but I chose to read this one next anyway. I needed to get a review up. Then, this book pleasantly surprised me because it is so much more than a fairy tale respun. The world was so rich and developed. I sort of forgot that I was supposed to be reading a retelling. I think that is what really set this book apart. It was, at times, a familiar story, but an all new story that can completely stand on its own. The world of the graces and the houses really added to the plot and kept me intrigued. I wanted to know Alyce's backstory. And Aurora's character was so likeable; you really wanted her to break her curse. I liked the way the curse story line played out, but the ending was not what I expected. Maybe I am not as familiar with the Sleeping Beauty fairytale as I thought? Or maybe that was a new spin. Either way, I am eagerly anticipating the next book.

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I really enjoyed the romance and the worldbuilding in the book but i found the pacing difficult to follow, it was super slow paced at the beginning and the end felt super rushed as a consequence

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An entertaining dark fantasy that didn't lead where I expected it to. I enjoyed the romantic elements, the world-building, and the characters. The political elements started to feel forced and some characters became very one-dimensional near the end. I love that there is LGBT representation in the book, though.

Content warnings: a bit of gruesome magical violence, mild sexual content, murder

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A beautiful queer retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I expected to like it, but it blew me away. Definitely surpassed my expectations. I just wish I already had the sequel in my hands.

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Okay but like, what can I even say?! I love retelling, and I love them 1000% more when they’re queer. And this is what we get and I’m obsessed.

Malice began a little slow to me, and at first I wasn’t sure I was going to get into it, but when it picked up, it really picked up and I was hooked. I have no idea what I can even say at this. I need a sequel immediately. I feel like if I knew this wasn’t going to be a stand alone from the very beginning, I may not have read it because now I have to WAIT for a sequel and I neeeed it.

Like, I’m not even into Sleeping Beauty usually. But this is everything I love that I normally wouldn’t. It’s not hard to see where the book might go early on, and I don’t always like the villain origin stories, but I loved it here. I can see how Alyce got to her breaking point and I could relate and I simply need more.

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This started off pretty slow, but the build up was worth it. The last part of this story was very addicting, could not put it down. It's not hard to figure out the villain from the beginning, but that doesn't take away from the shock of it. This was an interesting retelling for sure.

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Woah. What just happened to me? This novel has taken over my mind and stolen my heart and I just CAN'T handle it!

Malice is such a shining story of endurance, isolation, and what can happen when flickers of hope are repeatedly taken away. We all have a breaking point. I loved Alyce from the first page. Life hasn't just not been kind to her, it's been downright cruel. Nothing has worked out for the poor thing and any reader can recognize that feeling. So when she gets these little bursts of joy and allows herself to feel a tiny bit of happiness, it stings that much more when it doesn't last.

The pacing was great throughout the story, engaging but not so fast that you can't soak in the worldbuilding of Briar. Each character adds to the story (my second favorite is Rose) and Alyce's development is really fantastic. The love story is well-built and I absolutely adore them together, which only makes certain events that much more heartbreaking. I'm conflicted on the ending. Not because I didn't love it (I really did!) but because Alyce goes through so much, feels so much, that it's left me feeling like I could burst.

It is incredibly hard for me to write this review without any spoilers because I feel as though I could talk about this story for ages. But instead I will try my hardest to wait patiently for book 2, even though I know it'll be a challenge! I'd recommend this book to any reader but those who enjoy fantasy, romance, retellings, and LGBTQ representation are in for an extra treat.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

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I absolutely adored this sleeping beauty dark retelling. Alyce (the dark grace) is a complex character who is fun to get to know and love as the book progresses. Story, character and world building was wonderfully done. Overall a great read.



I just reviewed Malice by Heather Walter. #Malice #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

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I read a little bit of this and ended up liking it so much that I purchased a print copy. I've recommended it to multiple people since. So great!

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the wlw retelling of sleeping beauty i didn't know i needed!!! for too long i've been fed heterosexual versions of fairy tales, and to find a lgbtq+ AND a sapphic retelling is simply a blessing! if anyone has not read it yet, they are missing out!

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Sleeping Beauty retellings are always my favorites so when I first heard about Malice, a retelling from the villain’s point of view, I couldn’t wait. And Heather Walter absolutely knocked it out of the park.

Alyce was a great protagonist and it was fascinating to watch her descent into evil (but is she really evil?) Her friendship with Aurora was a breath of fresh air and I really enjoyed seeing how they went from friends to more. I loved how the author took a tale that seems so black and white and added so much nuance to the story. There were a few parts that I wished were fleshed out a bit more and the ending felt a bit rushed, but I still loved this one.

Overall, Walter’s dark take on the classic sleeping beauty tale is fresh, imaginative, and bewitching. I’m very glad this is a duology because I’m not ready to say goodbye to Alyce and Aurora. Particularly after that ending!

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The book was a decent read; I thought the setting, the characters, and the prose were great. It was a great first introductory novel, Malice by Heather Walter is a genre that I do not read too often. But you root for the villain, and it is a lot of fun with the 'sleeping beauty' narrative.

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🏹 4. 5 stars (possible spoilers)

Heather Walter's debut book, Malice, is definitely one of the best I've read this year. It's a strong start to a duology and provides a fresh perspective/retelling of sleeping beauty, a fairy tale I never really found myself interested in.

♡ pros:
- 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄/𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎, ​which plays a huge role in Alyce's motivation, is extremely strong and well written. The way it was delivered to the reader wasn't info dump esc, but rather, slowly being introduced, which made it more digestible and easier to understand the main characters' motives. It was also extremely intricate, without being too convoluted. Definitely one of the best ones I've read in a YA fantasy.
- the plot and worldbuilding were captivating as well, especially when it came to certain plot twists. some of them were obvious, as it is a sleeping beauty retelling, but the delivery was still strong enough for that fact to be overlooked, and in all honesty, I forgot it was a retelling (sometimes it bothers me if its too obvious). The worldbuilding goes hand in hand with my opinions on the magic system, all the fantastical elements were just perfection.
- the villains, above all else, were the best part of this book. Sometimes, in retellings, the antagonist isn't really "evil," and it mostly feels like they're just placeholders to further the hero's journey. However, that wasn't the case here at all. I genuinely hated the king, and the plot twist villain was absolutely heartbreaking, especially after everything the main character was going through. The villains having actual motives and reasons behind what they were doing, beyond just being "bad," made the story feel more well-rounded and enticing.

ⓧ cons
- it ended like that, and book two isn't in my hands. if the publishers want my firstborn in exchange for an arc, ill sign the papers.

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4.5 stars.

Wait...am I rooting for the villain?

A clever and fun retelling/inversion of Sleeping Beauty. There was a fantastic mixture of the old with the new and some incredibly creative twists. There were a few things that I did not see coming and I nearly had to applaud when I came to them. I was just so enthralled. I'm not sure I've read many books where I've cheered for bad things happening. This book may have warped me a little, but I had oh so much fun reading it.

The writing was smooth and character centered, creating a cast that was very full-bodied and believable. I loved Alyce and found her to be the perfect antihero/villain. Princess Aurora is smart and strong and skilled, a perfect alternative to the classic helpless fairytale princess. The blending of good and evil in Alyce and the blend of gentle and determined in Aurora were incredibly well done and really made for captivating characters. And the plot? Loved it. Evil graces, devilish subplots, several layers of betrayal, an animal companion, and a semi-secret romance. Lots of good fun to be had.

I have fallen in love with this world and it's budding darkness. I cannot WAIT for the sequel.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. *

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Princess Aurora is toss it to being kissed by suitors deem appropriate for her. A kiss of true love will break the curse on her. The curse is to be kissed by a true love by the time she turns 21 years old or she will die. She hates being forced to be kissed by these men. Her two older sisters died due to the curse. (There was a war between the light Fae and humans.) At the end of the war the light Fae gave the women “graces” in that they could make potions with a drop of their golden blood into the potion to successfully create beauty, cure illness, and so forth. Not everyone could be a “grace.” The queen was cursed by the light Fae that if they were not kissed by a true love, they would die. Alyce is a half breed with green blood. She is part Vila — a full blooded Vila is a figure of dark evil magic. This race has been eradicated. Alyce is known as the dark Grace as she makes potions for those angry with their spouse and more. Alyce has be called names and treated badly by the other graces who live in the house. She is given the darkest ruin of a room to live in. When Alyce meets the princess, she is surprised how the princess is not afraid of her. Why?

This novel is long. I found myself enchanted with those who were graces in the story. Seeing how Alyce grows and learns about her power was fascinating. The interactions with the royal family was quite interesting. Alyce understands what the King has planned unknown to the queen. I found the adventure and actions of Alyce and Princess Aurora quite real. It’s a well written novel with an ending that makes me inpatient to wait for the second book. I want to know the things that weren’t given little or no information in this first volume. It’s a wonderful novel to read. It took me completely away from what was happening in the real world.

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DNF. Unfortunately, this YA fantasy just wasn't for me; I think it's geared towards the younger end of the YA audience, and I had a hard time gaining interest in the main character or the plot. I normally love fairy tale retellings, but this one didn't quite work for me. I think there are a lot of younger YA readers who would likely enjoy it more than I did.

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A Sleeping Beauty retelling, Malice takes readers to a new realm and reinvents the fairy tale with a compelling narrative and beautiful LGBTQ romance.

Great Storytelling
Malice stands apart from typical retellings, foremost with the world-building. Walter gives the story an engaging foundation, establishing three different races. There is the Fae, the humans, and the Vila, which is what Alyce is.

Alyce is called the Dark Grace, half-human and half-Vila, the dark counterpart of Fae. After the war that eradicated the Vila, the Fae gifted their human allies with magic, giving human girls what they call their Grace, turning their blood gold, and allowing them to provide the kingdom with magic and enhancements.

Nevertheless, of course, Alyce is taunted and ignored by her kingdom for being half Vila. They have no problem using her magic in private, but in public, the kingdom shuns her.

Walter does a great job of drawing illusions between the original fairy tale. However, Walter gives her story more history to built up the characterization, depth, and tension. Learning more and more about the Vila gives the story more dimension, luring in the reader.

Amazing Characterization & Development
Honestly, I loved the characterization above everything else. Malice is a character-driven story that follows Alyce and her relationship with Princess Aurora.

Walter does an incredible job of first establishing the friendship between these two incredibly. Aurora does not see Alyce as a monster, simply as another Grace used by her kingdom. Instead, Aurora seeks to break the curse without true love’s kiss so that she can lead her kingdom into a brighter future.

By building up the friendship between the characters, Walter is building up the characterization of these characters. Aurora is not a damsel in distress. She is an intelligent and formidable princess, rebellious while also being considerate. As for Alyce, she is not the monster everyone wants her to be. Alyce is just a woman who wants to be treated fairly and respected instead of scorned for her green blood.

There is an incredible amount of depth to these characters, even the minor ones, that make them relatable and complex. Furthermore, to see the relationship blossom between Alyce and Aurora is fantastic. It is true love and makes the reader eager to see them fight for their true love, rights, and kingdom.

Final Thoughts
Malice is incredible. Everything Walter has done with this novel, from the world-building and history, to the complexities and depth of the characters, will make this novel stand apart.

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